The Indian Navy's INS Kolkata, after a successful operation off the coast of Somalia, arrived in Mumbai on Saturday morning with 35 pirates in custody, as confirmed by naval authorities. The apprehended pirates were subsequently transferred to the custody of Mumbai police.
This operation was conducted as part of the continuing Operation Sankalp, which involves the deployment of Indian Navy vessels in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to ensure the security of seafarers and commercial trade navigating through the area.
INS Kolkata, with the 35 apprehended pirates, returned to Mumbai on March 23 and handed over the pirates to the local police for further legal action in accordance with Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti Piracy Act 2022, the Navy said.
During a mission spanning over 40 hours, starting from the early hours of March 15, INS Kolkata intercepted the Pirate Ship ex-MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea. This interception was carried out based on intelligence received by the Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
It was reported that the ship was being utilized as a Mother Ship for orchestrating piracy attacks and hijacking merchant vessels. INS Kolkata commenced shadowing the Pirate Ship in the early hours of March 15.
The vessel, upon sighting INS Kolkata, reversed course and started heading towards the Somali Coast. Several armed pirates were observed on upper deck of the ship, the Navy said. INS Kolkata directed the pirate ship to stop for investigation in accordance with International Law, especially the United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). INS Kolkata thereafter acted in self-defence and used kinetic measures required to disable the ship and compel the pirates to surrender, it said.